Bogota: Colombia has doubled the reward for information leading to the capture of Usuga Clan gang leader Dario Antonio Usuga to nearly $1 million, President Juan Manuel Santos said on Monday.
The Usuga Clan, also called the Urabenos, have ties to Mexico`s Sinaloa cartel and smuggle hundreds of millions of dollars worth of cocaine out of the Andean country each year, according to law enforcement officials.
"We`re on the trail of the leaders of Usuga and its top boss, Otoniel," Santos said, referring to the alias of Usuga. "We`re raising the reward for him to 3 billion pesos, double what it was." He spoke after meeting with security officials.
Experts believe criminal gangs will be the country`s biggest security challenge in the coming years as conflicts with leftist rebels, who also participate in the drug trade, wind down.
